Box or can



No. 6l8,782.' 1 Patented Ian. 3|,l899.

, A. CAMERON, In.

BOX DR CAN.

(Application filed Jan. 20, 1898.) (No Model.)

WITNESSES INVENTOR n4: Nunms vzrzns o0, WOTO-LITNO..WASHINGTON o c UNITE STATES ATENT OFFICE.

ALEXANDER CAMERON, JR, OE RICHMOND, VIRGINIA.

BOX OR CAN.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 618,782, dated January 31, 1899.

Application filed January 20, 1898. Serial No. 667,219. (No model.)

To ctZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALEXANDER CAMERON, J r., a citizen of the United States, residing at Richmond, in the cou nty of Henrico and State of Virginia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Boxes or Cans; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to-make and use the same.

My invention relates to boxes or cans made, preferably, of metal, as tin or steel, though they may be constructed of any other material, for shipping goodsas, for instance, tobacco, paint, condensed milk, &c. which it is desired to keep hermetically sealed during transportation and which will be capable of being readily opened without the useof an auxiliary can-opener.

To this end my invention consists of a box or can the body of which is provided with a thin permanent cover, sometimes termed a tagger top, and on its outer surface, near its upper edge, with a projection or projections and a removable outer cover formed with a vertical flange and provided on its under surface with a cutter, the said flange being provided with novel means for holding the cutter during transportation out of engagement with the tagger top, but which is so constructed that when desired the cutter can be brought into contact with the tagger top and the cover revolved to out out the same.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a perspective view of my improved box or can and cover therefor, and Fig. 2 is an inverted perspective view of the cover.

A in the drawings represents the body of the can, which is preferably cylindrical in shape and can be made of any desired size. Near the upper edge of the body of the can, on the outer surface thereof, spaced projections H are provided at intervals around the same, which projections are preferably elongated. The can is also provided with a thin tagger top B. The can is also provided with an outer removable cover h, which is formed with a vertical flange h, on the lower edge of which are formed outwardly and downwardly extending flanges or shoulders N, which, rest upon and closely fit the projections H on the body of the can during transportation for a purpose as will be hereinafter described. The verticalflange h of the cover is cutaway at intervals, as at 71 of a Width corresponding to the length of the projections H on the body of the can. The said vertical flange h of the cover is also provided with a peripheral groove 7L4 on a line with the upper edges of the cutaway portions 7?. On the under side of the cover a cutter or cutters O are provided. The cutter may be of any suitable shape and may be stamped directly out of the material constituting the cover, or it may be formed separate therefrom and secured thereto in any suitable manner.

From the aforegoing description it will be seen that when it is desired to prevent the cutter or cutters from coming in contact with the tagger top during transportation the removable cover is placed on the body of the can, so as to have the flanges or shoulders 71 at the lower edge of the flange rest on the projections H on the body of the can, and that when it is desired to bring the cutter in contact with the tagger top to cut out the same it is simply necessary to revolve the cover until the projections H are brought into line with the cut-away portions h on the cover, when the cover can be pressed down until the projections H come in line with the peripheral groove on the cover, in which position the cutter will have been caused to penetrate the tagger top, and by revolving the cover the tagger tin will be cut out. When the cover has made a complete revolution and the projections again come in line with the cut-away portions k the outer removable cover can be raised vertically and the out-out top removed and the removable cover again turned to any position on the can and locked in such posi* tion by the peripheral groove engaging the projections.

It will be observed that by forming the long projections on the body of the can and by forming the lower edge of the vertical flange of the cover with outwardly and downwardly extending shoulders, which approximately conform to the shape of the projections on the can, a secure support is insured for the cover during transportation, and the cover is positively guided when it is revolved to out out the tagger top without any liability of the lower edge of the flange of the cover slipping over the projections, as might be the case if smaller projections or studs were provided and the lower edge of the flange of the cover were not provided with an outwardly and downwardly extending shoulder which approximately conformed to the shape of the projections.

It will be observed that the shoulder or projection 7L2 on the lower edge of the vertical flange h extends outwardly and downwardly and is open at its lower end, so as to receive and closely fit the projections H on the body portion of the can, and that when the cover is revolved to bring the elongated projections into line with the spaces its the cover will be guided in said movement by the shoulders or projections 7L2 moving upon the projections H, and also that when the shoulders or flanges 7L2 are resting upon the projections 11 during transportation there will be no liability of the cover slipping down over the projections and the cutter O permitted to penetrate the thin tagger top 13 and admit air, as might be the case if short round projections or studs were employed.

Having now described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

A circular box or can comprising in its construction a body portion proper formed on its outer surface near its upper edge with outwardlyextending spaced elongated projections, and also having a fixed tagger top, a removable cover having a downwardly-extending flange which is provided with elongated vertical spaces, and a peripheral groove and provided on its lower edge with spaced outwardly and downwardly extending open shoulders or projections which conform approximatelyto the shape of the elongated projections on the body of the can so as to rest on and partially surround the said projections, during transportation, and guide the movement of the cover when it is revolved to bring the spaced openings in line with the projections on the body of the can to out out the tagger top, and the said cover being also provided on its under side With a cutter or cutters, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I hereunto affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ALEXANDER CAMERON, JR. \Vitnesses:

HENRY F. W. SOUTHERN, HENRY L. AINSLIE. 

